BHP's river clean-up too slow for some

Miner BHP Billiton has been given until the end of 2016 to halt most of the pollution discharged from one of its coal mines into the Georges River south-west of Sydney, a verdict that has split environmental groups.

The NSW Environmental Protection Authority altered the pollution licence for BHP's West Cliff and North Cliff collieries, requiring the miner to cut the salinity and heavy metals released into Brennans Creek and the Georges River.

Let down: Ken Hall, at the Georges River near his home, believes BHP should act quicker. Photo: Janie Barrett

The EPA had found, using BHP's data, that downstream discharges had caused a biodiversity loss of between 20 and 60 per cent for macroinvertebrate species, such as the caddisfly, stonefly and mayfly. ''This is a very good outcome,'' said Dr Ian Wright, an associate lecturer at the University of Western Sydney, who conducted independent research into the river's health.

''If there's a problem with this licence, [BHP] will have to fix it.''

The mine's effluence raised salinity to as much as 10 times the level in similar rivers, with damage recorded at least 12 kilometres downstream, he said.

The Environmental Defenders Office, which began legal action against the mine on behalf of environment group the Macarthur Bushwalkers, also praised the EPA's decision.

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The problems ''appear to have been substantially dealt with by this licence variation'', Elaine Johnson, a solicitor with the EDO, said. ''It's a win for our client and the community.

''This case demonstrates the public's ability to constructively contribute to licensing processes, and should encourage the EPA to open up its doors to the community when major decisions are being made about how to deal with pollution.''

'Let down'

Ken Hall, head of the Macarthur Bushwalkers group, however, said the EPA should have demanded swifter action. ''We feel let down,'' Mr Hall said. ''It seems BHP has so much clout, they've just given them a slap on the wrist.

''Why the hell don't they just put in a filtration system now?

''It's going to start the clean-up process as soon as it goes in.''

Sharyn Cullis, from the Georges River Environmental Alliance, agreed the EPA ruling would help clean up the river but ''it should have happened 15 years ago''.

Ms Cullis called on BHP ''to show some good corporate citizenship'' and act sooner than the end of 2016.

Data check

For its part, BHP said it was committed to working with the EPA to improve the river's health.

''The new licence requires us to make a number of engineering changes to the water management process and increase our level of sampling and scientific analysis,'' a BHP spokeswoman said.

''The more extensive data will enable us to make decisions about what work may be required,'' she said. ''This has not yet been scoped or costed.''

The EPA plans a meeting with community groups and local government representatives next week to explain how it arrived at its decision.

Craig Lamberton, the EPA's acting chief environmental regulator, said BHP had been given "a comprehensive range of measures" to be implemented over several years.

"Short-term measures include immediately enhancing the water quality monitoring and modifying the way the discharge point is operated," Mr Lamberton said. "In the longer term the 2016 date is the final deadline for which the company is required to demonstrate that it is meeting the tight new concentration limits as outlined in the notice."

He defended the delay as needed to give the company "time to determine the most appropriate technologies and design, obtain the necessary approvals and construct and install new infrastructure".